Fragrance comparison

Rosa Sublime vs Black Pepper & Sandalwood

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 30 Oct 2026 327 ratings analysed

3 wins

Rosa Sublime

Gucci

4.0014 votes

Rank #37,180 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

35%scent match

Some overlap

Black Pepper & Sandalwood

Acca Kappa

3.69313 votes

Rank #5,300 Warm SpicyFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Rosa Sublime takes 3 of 5 categories.

Rosa Sublime
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear.
Black Pepper & Sandalwood
Choose it for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Rosa Sublime3/5

Black Pepper & Sandalwood2/5

Ratings & consensus: Rosa Sublime
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Rosa Sublime
Sillage & projection: Rosa Sublime
Value for money: Black Pepper & Sandalwood
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Pepper & Sandalwood

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Rosa SublimeGucci

Black Pepper & SandalwoodAcca Kappa

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 14 votes

Have 9%Had 1%Want 90%

3.69/ 5 · 313 votes

Have 39%Had 16%Want 45%

Category winnerRosa SublimeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

21%Like

29%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

35%Love

43%Like

9%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

230 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity85

〰 Sillage81

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity70

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate73

Category winners

LongevityRosa Sublime

SillageRosa Sublime

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value38

¤ Price value61

Category winnerBlack Pepper & SandalwoodBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

balsamic84%

musky77%

woody69%

rose61%

warm spicy100%

fresh spicy83%

woody65%

aromatic48%

powdery30%

Scent match35%Some overlap · both warm spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top30 to 45 minutes

OlibanumIncenseelemiPink Pepper

Heart3 to 5 hours

Damask RoseSaffronAmbrettolideAmbrette

Base6 to 8+ hours

MyrrhPatchouliVirginian CedarOrcanox™

Top

ClovesSaffronNutmegelemiBalsam FirArtemisiaBergamot

Heart

Black PepperDamask RoseCinnamonAgarwood (Oud)

Base

SandalwoodVirginian CedarPatchouliBlack MuskHaitian VetiverCypriol Oil or Nagarmotha

InformationalShared noteselemi, Damask Rose, Saffron and Patchouli. Durations are only published for Rosa Sublime, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring43

Summer14

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring45

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex57

Women29

Men37

Unisex57

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,180

PerfumerMathilde Bijaoui

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#5,300

PerfumerLuca Maffei

Launched—

Reviews44

Category winnerBlack Pepper & SandalwoodHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Rosa Sublime by Gucci pairs rich Damask rose with dry incense, resinous elemi, and bright pink pepper before resting on a bed of patchouli, cedar, and myrrh. Created by perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui for The Alchemist's Garden collection, this floral amber release avoids sugary sweetness in favour of aromatic resin, soft a…

Reviews →

Black Pepper & Sandalwood by Acca Kappa is a Woody Spicy fragrance for women and men. Black Pepper & Sandalwood was launched in 2014. The nose behind this fragrance is Luca Maffei. Top notes are Cloves, Saffron, Nutmeg, elemi, Balsam Fir, Artemisia and Bergamot; middle notes are Black Pepper, Damask Rose, Cinnamon and…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Rosa Sublime or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Rosa Sublime takes 3 of 5 categories. Rosa Sublime is rated 4.00/5 from 14 votes; Black Pepper & Sandalwood is rated 3.69/5 from 313 votes. Choose Rosa Sublime for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, day or night wear. Choose Black Pepper & Sandalwood for a warm spicy and fresh spicy character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Rosa Sublime or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Rosa Sublime lasts longest (Rosa Sublime 85/100, Black Pepper & Sandalwood 70/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Rosa Sublime or Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Rosa Sublime projects furthest (Rosa Sublime 81/100, Black Pepper & Sandalwood 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Rosa Sublime and Black Pepper & Sandalwood smell similar?

Some overlap: a 35% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share warm spicy and woody accords. Common notes include elemi, Damask Rose, Saffron and Patchouli.

Is Rosa Sublime or Black Pepper & Sandalwood better for summer or winter?

Rosa Sublime suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Rosa Sublime and Black Pepper & Sandalwood?

Rosa Sublime has top notes of Olibanum, Incense, elemi and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Damask Rose, Saffron, Ambrettolide and Ambrette, a base of Myrrh, Patchouli, Virginian Cedar and Orcanox™. Black Pepper & Sandalwood has top notes of Cloves, Saffron, Nutmeg and elemi, heart notes of Black Pepper, Damask Rose, Cinnamon and Agarwood (Oud), a base of Sandalwood, Virginian Cedar, Patchouli and Black Musk.